Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012. (Jan. 11, 2013)

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Flanked by members of the United States Fish & Wildlife service, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar (center) makes his way up the engraved Centennial Boardwalk to the observation deck of the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian during a plank dedication ceremony for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012. The ceremony was held at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, designated as the first National Wildlife Refuge by President Theodore Roosevelt on March 14, 1903. "It's an awesome experience because it really is the hall of fame for conservation and that's what all of these planks represent." Salazar said about the Pelican Island refuge.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar (center) talks to the dignitaries and special guests attending the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012. New engraved planks were added to the Centennial Boardwalk leading to the observation tower representing Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and it's Conservation area in Florida, Swan Valley Conservation area in Montana, Sangre de Cristo Conservation area in Colorado/New Mexico, Valle de Oro NWR in New Mexico, Rio Mora NWR and Conservation areas in New Mexico, and Hackmatack NWR in Illinois/Wisconsin.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian in this file photo from January 2013 for the eight new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visit to the plank dedication ceremony at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge Boardwalk in Sebastian on Friday for the 8 new National wildlife and conservation areas created during 2012.